Device for gripping and actuating a boring tube, foundation pile or the like

ABSTRACT

A device for tightening and actuating a boring tube, and comprising a collar constituted by a first and a second chain links or sections interconnected through the medium of linking elements, the ends of said first link being secured directly to the said linking elements while the ends of said second link are adapted to be actuated respectively by traction means solid with the said linking elements, so as to ensure a uniform and accurate tightening of the collar on the tube by exerting a tractional action on both ends of said second chain link.

United States Patent Allard [54] DEVICE FOR GRIPPING AND ACTUATING A BORING TUBE, FOUNDATION PILE OR THE LIKE [72] Inventor: Pierre Jean-Marie Theodore Allard, 178,

Boulevard Francois ler, 76, La Havre, France [22] Filed: Aug.2l, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 65,820

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 11, 1969 France ..6931009 Jan. 28, 1970 France ..7002958 [52] US. Cl ..173/152, 81/57.17, 81/66, 173/163 [51] Int. Cl ..E02d 7/18 [58] Field ofSearch ..l73/152-159, 163;

ill/57.17, 64-70; 175/170, 171, 122; 61/535 51 May 30, 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,706,423 4/1955 Rose ..81/65 X 3,023,649 3/1962 Wallace... ..81/65 X 530,547 12/1894 Newell ..81/65 3,467,203 9/1969 Johnson 173/159 Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Att0rneyKenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for tightening and actuating a boring tube, and comprising a collar constituted by a first and a second chain links or sections interconnected through the medium of linking elements, the ends of said first link being secured directly to the said linking elements while the ends of said second link are adapted to be actuated respectively by traction means solid with the said linking elements, so as to ensure a uniform and accurate tightening of the collar on the tube by exerting a tractional action on both ends of said second chain link.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 30, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :NVENTOR PIERRE JEAN-MARIE THEGDOREALLARD Patented May 30, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1m VE/ man PIERRE JEAN-MARIE Th ower/311M:

BY 75A? MZ2N 6M 8 6w ATmKPA/E'XS DEVICE FOR GRIPPING AND ACTUATING A BORING TUBE, FOUNDATION PILE OR THE LIKE The present invention concerns generally a device for gripping and actuating a boring tube, foundation pile or the like, in particular a collar or ring adapted to grip the said tube or pile to enable to subject the same to a vertical and/or alternate rotary motion.

Up to the present, boring machines were provided with a gripping collar composed generally by two or three hingedly connected bows and closed by a lock actuated in most cases by a hydraulic cylinder or actuator. It is very difficult to achieve a regular and uniform gripping of a collar of this type on the boring tubes. Indeed, the collar of this type could not be made to take the exact shape of the deformations undergone by the tube during repeated boring operations. On the contrary; the collar had a tendency to accentuate the deformations of the tube, and this led to the loosening of the gripping action exerted by the collar on the tube and was therefore detrimental to corret tubing of bore holes.

The present invention has for its purpose to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks by providing a gripping or clamping collar or ring which is particularly efficient and remains constantly solid with the tube or the pile to be driven into the ground, the said collar or ring enabling, under any circumstances, to impart to the said tube or the said pile an alternate rotary motion.

To this end, the device for gripping and actuating a boring tube according to the present invention is characterized in that the said collar or ring is constituted by a first and a second chain links or sections joined together through the medium of linking elements, the ends of first said links being directly fixed to the said linking elements, while the ends of the second links are adapted to be actuated respectively. by traction means solid with the said linking element, so as to ensure uniform and accurate gripping of the collar on the tube by exerting a traction on both ends of the said second links.

It is thus understood that the collar gripping operation is tantamount to exerting a simultaneous traction on the ends of a chain link, this tractional action being exerted substantially tangentially to the boring tube. On the other hand, the traction effect exerted on one of the chain links ensures, by way of reaction, the gripping or tightening of the second chain links, which is solid with the linking elements, on the said tube.

According to another feature of the present invention, the linking elements are respectively substantially U-shaped in cross-section, while the traction means are advantageously mounted within the said elements. Owing to the fact that the traction means are thus enclosed within the linking element of the chain links, the structure of the collar is simplified and its overall dimensions reduced to a minimum.

According to another feature of the invention, the traction means are constituted by hydraulic cylinders or actuators, the respective actuating rods of which are preferably removably connected to the ends of the second chain link through the medium of a yoke, fork-piece or the like.

It is thus understood that the said yoke or fork-piece ensures the flexibility required for the articulation of the collar and forms an integral part thereof.

According to another feature of the invention, the gripping or tightening hydraulic cylinders or actuators are provided with studs or the like rotatably mounted in corresponding bores provided in the legs of the said U-shapedmember.

According to still another feature of the invention, at least one of the two chain links comprises at least one removable pin enabling to open the collar and increase or reduce the number of links of the said chain links according to the diameter of the tube.

Other purposes and objects of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, which is made with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a gripping collar according to the invention and provided in a boring machine;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the gripping device according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, to a larger scale, illustrating the mounting of a chain-stretching hydraulic cylinder in a linking element.

According to the example of embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a gripping collar or ring I designed according to the present invention and intended to grip or clamp the boring tube 2. The frame of a boring machine is shown at 3 and a guide ring for the boring tube 2 is shown at 4.

The gripping collar 1 according to the invention is composed of a first chain link or section 7 and a second chain link or section 8. The chain links 7 and 8 are joined together at their mutually confronting ends by means of yokeor forkforming linking members 9.

As appears more clearly from FIG. 3, the elements 9 are U- shaped in cross-section, the open side of this U-shaped element being intended to be applied onto the tube wall. To this end, the outer edges 10 of the substantially parallel legs constituting the said U-shaped element offer a suitable radius of curvature.

In FIG. 3 it is clearly seen that the chain links 7 and 8 are constituted by a stack of hinged links made from flat iron and interconnected by pins. At least one of these pins is readily removable in order to open the collar to let the tube pass and, if desired, to increase or reduce the number of links of the chain links. By way of example, there is shown in FIG. 3 a pin 11 fixing the end of the chain link 7 to the linking element 9, the said pin being readily removable by taking out for instance a keeper pin 12 mounted at the end of the said pin. As described previously, the chain links 7 and 8 may comprise one or several removable and intermediate pins.

A hydraulic traction cylinder or actuator 13 is mounted within each U-shaped element 9. More specifically, the cylinders 13 are provided with studs or the like 14 rotatably mounted in corresponding bores provided in the mutually confronting walls of the elements 9. It is obvious that the cylinders 13 may play within the said element 9. The rods 15 of the cylinders 13 are connected to both ends of the chain link 8 through the medium of a yoke or fork-piece 16 which ensures the flexibility required for the articulation of the collar, especially during the tightening of the latter on the tube 2.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a vertical or sinking cylinder or actuator 18 is mounted between the frame 3 and the collar 1. More specifically, the cylinder 18 is hingedly mounted in a yoke 19 of the frame 3 and a yoke 20 solid with the linking elements 9. The respective rods 5a of the tacking or roundaboutdrive cylinders or actuators 5 are also solid with the collar 1 and hingedly mounted at 21 on the linking elements 9. To this end, the ends of the rods 5a of the cylinders 5 may be provided with a ball mounted between two right-angled members 22 secured to the linking elements 9.

It is thus understood that upon completion of the tightening of the collar 1 on the tube 2, the actuation of the tacking or roundabout-drive cylinders 5 and the sinking cylinder 18 imparts to the said tube tacking or roundabout motions in the downward direction for the sinking and in the upward direction for the pulling out thereof.

It should be noted that instead of the chain links 7 and 8, use may be made of a crown of hinged elements each comprising a shoe adapted to press the tube 2. Some of the said shoes may be controlled by a small hydraulic cylinder or actuator in order to be applied onto the tube under a controlled pressure.

Of course, the present invention is by no means limited to the form of embodiment described and illustrated which has been given by way of example only. Thus, the hinged connection of the tacking cylinders with the collar may be achieved not by means of a ball joint but by any other suitable means. A single member may be provided on the linking elements, the said member forming for instance a dual ball joint for the ends of the rods of the vertical cylinders and the tacking cylinders. The invention therefore comprises all the means equivalent to the means described as well as their combinations if the latter are carried out according to the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for tightening and actuating a boring tube comprising a first and a second chain sections adapted to surround said tube, two U-shaped linking members fitting the contour of said tube and interconnecting said first and second chain sections, tightening hydraulic cylinders fitted within said linking members respectively, each of said cylinders including a body rotatably mounted inside said linking members and a rod to which respective ends of said second chain section are secured, whereas said linking members include securing means by which the respective ends of said first chain section are directly attached to said linking members so that when said cylinder rods exert a traction upon both ends of said second chain section, the first chain section is tightened by reaction against the tube.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the body of said cylinders is provided with projecting studs and said linking members comprise two substantially parallel confronting walls each having bore holes so that said studs may freely rotate therein.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder rods are removably connected to the respective ends of said second chain section through the medium of a fork-piece.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said linking members include fixing means which are solid with rod means controlling the vertical and alternate rotary motion of said tube.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said securing means include one removable pin in order to increase or reduce the number of links of said chain sections depending on the diameter of said tube. 

1. A device for tightening and actuating a boring tube comprising a first and a second chain sections adapted to surround said tube, two U-shaped linking members fitting the contour of said tube and interconnecting said first and second chain sections, tightening hydraulic cylinders fitted within said linking members respectively, each of said cylinders including a body rotatably mounted inside said linking members and a rod to which respective ends of said second chain section are secured, whereas said linking members include securing means by which the respective ends of said first chain section are directly attached to said linking members so that when said cylinder rods exert a traction upon both ends of said second chain section, the first chain section is tightened by reaction against the tube.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the body of said cylinders is provided with projecting studs and said linking members comprise two substantially parallel confronting walls each having bore holes so that said studs may freely rotate therein.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder rods are removably connected to the respective ends of said second chain section through the medium of a fork-piece.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said linking members include fixing means which are solid with rod means controlling the vertical and alternate rotary motion of said tube.
 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said securing means include one removable pin in order to increase or reduce the number of links of said chain sections depending on the diameter of said tube. 